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October 2026 · SCA Awareness Month

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month: 5 things to do before October ends

In 2025, EMS treated roughly 744 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each day in the U.S., with about 1 in 10 patients surviving to hospital discharge. This guide covers the latest cardiac arrest statistics, the three critical actions before EMS arrives, an October preparedness checklist, and current AED pricing.
  • Updated 7 October 2026
  • 8 min read
  • 12 sources
  • By the AED Best Brands editorial team

Inside this page

1The 2025 numbers 2Call, push, shock 3The October checklist 4AED prices this month

271,641

EMS-treated cardiac arrests outside hospitals, US, 2025

10.5%

survived to hospital discharge

71.4%

happened at home

13.9%

of public arrests had an AED applied by a bystander

  • ✓ CARES 2025 data (published 2026)
  • ✓ Prices checked on AED Leader, 7 Oct 2026
  • ✓ Every number linked to its
  • source

Key facts (checked 7 October 2026)

  • October marks National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month in the U.S., bringing attention to CPR, AED access, and emergency preparedness. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation also promotes its Ready to Respond CPR and AED training week during the second full week of October, scheduled for October 11–17, 2026.
  • In 2025, 10.5% of EMS-treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients survived to hospital discharge, while survival reached 47% when a bystander delivered the first AED shock.
  • The median EMS response time was 7.6 minutes, leaving bystanders as the patient’s immediate source of help until professional responders arrive. Rapid CPR and early AED use can be critical during this window.

01 How many people have a sudden cardiac arrest in the US each year?

Quick answer: In 2025, CARES recorded an estimated 271,641 EMS-treated, non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the U.S., averaging about 744 cases per day. Only 10.5% of patients survived to hospital discharge.

Sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack are different medical emergencies. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart’s electrical system fails and pumping stops, while a heart attack results from blocked blood flow to the heart. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, but each requires a different emergency response.

Location can strongly influence cardiac arrest survival. In 2025, 71.4% of out-of-hospital arrests occurred at home, where survival was 8.9%, compared with 21.2% in public settings. Public arrests may have better outcomes because witnesses can start CPR and access an AED sooner.

Survival to hospital discharge, US, 2025

Bystander gave the first AED shock
47%
First responder gave the first shock
28%
EMS gave the first shock
27%
Arrest in a public place
21.2%
All arrests
10.5%
Arrest at home
8.9%
Source: CARES 2025 Annual Report, pages 46 and 52, and the CARES 2025 National Summary Report (2026). The shock rows cover only patients defibrillated in the field.

02 What should a bystander do in the 7.6 minutes before the ambulance arrives?

Quick answer: Call 911 immediately, begin rapid, firm chest compressions in the center of the chest, and apply the nearest AED as soon as it is available. The device analyzes the heart rhythm and delivers a shock only when one is appropriate.

With a 7.6-minute median EMS response time in 2025, bystanders can provide critical care before professional help arrives. In Larsen’s model of witnessed ventricular fibrillation, survival declined by about 5.5 percentage points per minute without treatment.

The 7.6-minute math

Using the 2025 median EMS response time of 7.6 minutes and Larsen’s estimated 5.5-percentage-point survival decline per untreated minute, that delay represents roughly 42 percentage points of potential survival loss if no bystander starts CPR or uses an AED. This calculation combines CARES 2025 response-time data with the Larsen et al. (1993) model of witnessed ventricular fibrillation arrests.
7.6

minutes, median EMS arrival

5.5

points of survival lost per untreated minute

42

points lost by the time EMS arrives

StepWhat to doWhy it matters
1. CallCall 911 and put the phone on speaker. Send someone to get the nearest AED.The dispatcher can coach CPR while the ambulance drives.
2. PushPush hard and fast in the center of the chest, 100 to 120 times a minute, about 2 inches deep. Hands-only CPR is fine for an adult who collapses suddenly.Survival was 12.8% with bystander CPR vs 7.7% without (CARES 2025).
3. ShockTurn the AED on, follow the voice prompts, place the pads as shown and stand clear when it says so.Survival was 47% when a bystander gave the first shock, vs 27% when EMS did.
You do not need formal training to operate an AED. In a Chicago airport study, bystanders used public AEDs and 11 of 18 patients with ventricular fibrillation were resuscitated. In 6 of those 11 saves, the rescuer had no AED training (Caffrey et al., NEJM 2002). Field evidence also found AEDs correctly withheld shocks from non-shockable rhythms 99.9% of the time (Macdonald et al., 2001). Explore more data in our AED statistics 2026 guide.

03 What are the 5 things to do this October?

Quick answer: Prepare before an emergency happens by learning hands-only CPR, knowing where the nearest AED is, and regularly checking any device you already own. Review your state’s AED requirements and consider purchasing one if no accessible AED can be reached within about a three-minute round trip.

A 2015 national survey found that only 18% of U.S. adults were currently CPR-trained, while 68% had never received AED training, highlighting a major preparedness gap. The practical steps that follow take about 40 minutes altogether, with the CPR class requiring additional time.

#ActionTimeCostStart here
1Learn hands-only CPR. Book a full CPR and AED class in Ready to Respond week, 11 to 17 October.2 min to 3 hoursFree video; classes varyAED training schools
2Walk to the nearest AED at work, school or the gym and time the round trip.10 min$0AED placement guide
3Check the AED you own: status light, pad expiry date, battery date, a spare set of pads.5 min$0 to checkAED inspection checklist
4Read your state's AED and Good Samaritan rules.10 min$0AED laws by state and Good Samaritan laws
5No AED within a 3-minute round trip? Size and price one.15 minFrom $875 (section 4)Find your perfect AED
Include the AED’s exact location in your workplace emergency plan and keep replacement dates for both pads and batteries on the calendar. Our workplace emergency action plan, AED compliance checklist, and AED battery replacement guides explain how to organize emergency readiness and maintain your equipment.

04Time to shock: how fast does survival fall?

Quick answer: As of October 7, 2026, a recertified Philips OnSite, Philips FRx, HeartSine 350P, or ZOLL AED Plus was priced at $875 through AED Leader, while a new Philips OnSite was listed at $1,589. This comparison highlights the potential upfront savings of choosing a recertified AED.

AED Leader’s Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month promotion is scheduled to run through October 20, 2026, with a countdown featured on its website. The prices referenced below were recorded from live listings on October 7, 2026, so check the current product page before placing an order, as promotional pricing may change.

AED (FDA-approved, PMA)ConditionPrice on 7 Oct 2026Regular priceBuy
Philips HeartStart OnSiteRecertified$875$875AED Leader
Philips HeartStart FRxRecertified$875$975AED Leader
HeartSine Samaritan PAD 350PRecertified$875$975AED Leader
ZOLL AED PlusRecertified$875$875AED Leader
Cardiac Science Powerheart G5Recertified$1,225$1,225AED Leader
Philips HeartStart OnSite (M5066A)New$1,589$1,589AED Leader
Physio-Control LIFEPAK CR2 Value Package (listing notes the pad expiry date, 2027)New$1,692$2,256AED Leader
Prices read from AED Leader’s live product listings on 7 October 2026. The awareness-month countdown on AED Leader ends 20 October 2026.
At $875, the recertified OnSite is $714 cheaper than the $1,589 new model, representing about 45% upfront savings. Before choosing recertified equipment, review what the process involves and what to ask the seller, then compare individual OnSite, FRx, and HeartSine options. For a longer-term view, our AED cost calculator estimates 10-year ownership expenses, including replacement pads and batteries.

05 Which cardiac arrest myths stop people from helping?

Quick answer: Three common AED misconceptions persist: that cardiac arrests usually occur in public places, that an AED can deliver an unnecessary shock, and that only trained responders should operate one. Available evidence challenges all three assumptions and shows why broader AED awareness matters.

MythFact
Myth
Most cardiac arrests happen in public places.		Fact
71.4% happened at home in 2025 and 17.5% in public. A home AED covers the most likely location best AED for home.
Myth
An AED can shock a person who does not need it.		Fact
The AED analyzes the rhythm first. In field data it correctly withheld shocks 99.9% of the time (Macdonald et al., 2001).
Myth
Only trained people should touch an AED.		Fact
AEDs give spoken step-by-step prompts. 11 of 18 VF patients at Chicago's airports were saved with public AEDs, and in 6 of those 11 saves the rescuer had no AED training (Caffrey et al., 2002).

No AED within a 3-minute round trip?

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06 Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month FAQ

October is recognized for sudden cardiac arrest awareness across the U.S., with the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation promoting its Ready to Respond CPR and AED training week during the second full week of the month. In 2026, the program runs October 11–17, encouraging communities to strengthen emergency response skills.
No. Cardiac arrest and a heart attack are different emergencies. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart’s electrical system fails, causing the heart to stop pumping and the person to become unresponsive with abnormal or absent breathing. A heart attack results from blocked blood flow to the heart and the person is often still conscious. Cardiac arrest requires immediate CPR and AED use.
In 2025, the U.S. median time from a 911 call to EMS arrival was 7.6 minutes, according to CARES. Larsen et al. (1993) estimated that survival in witnessed ventricular fibrillation arrests can drop by about 5.5 percentage points for every untreated minute, underscoring why immediate CPR and AED use can be critical while waiting for EMS.
On October 7, 2026, AED Leader listed recertified Philips OnSite, Philips FRx, HeartSine 350P, and ZOLL AED Plus units at $875, compared with $1,589 for a new Philips OnSite. Its Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month promotion was scheduled to run through October 20, 2026, so prices should be checked before ordering.
No. Modern AEDs provide clear voice and visual instructions and analyze the heart rhythm before delivering a shock, so they do not shock every cardiac arrest. Although formal training is not required, a CPR and AED course can improve speed, confidence, and readiness during an emergency.
According to the CARES 2025 Annual Report, survival to hospital discharge reached 47% when a bystander delivered the first AED shock, compared with 27% when EMS provided the initial shock. The difference highlights the potential value of rapid bystander defibrillation before professional responders arrive.

07 Sources

  1. CARES 2025 Annual Report, p.44: 271,641 EMS-treated OHCAs, 2025 (2026)
  2. CARES 2025 Non-Traumatic National Summary Report: 10.5% survival, 71.4% home, 17.5% public (2026)
  3. CARES 2025 Annual Report, p.46: public 21.2% vs home 8.9% survival (2026)
  4. CARES 2025 Annual Report, p.49: median EMS response 7.6 minutes (2026)
  5. CARES 2025 Annual Report, p.51: bystander CPR 12.8% vs 7.7% survival (2026)
  6. CARES 2025 Annual Report, p.52: bystander AED use 13.9%, first shock 47% / 28% / 27% (2026)
  7. Larsen MP et al. Predicting survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Ann Emerg Med (1993)
  8. Caffrey SL et al. Public use of automated external defibrillators. NEJM (2002)
  9. Macdonald RD et al. Performance and error analysis of AEDs in the out-of-hospital setting. Ann Emerg Med (2001)
  10. Blewer AL et al. CPR training disparities in the United States. J Am Heart Assoc (2017) and Owen DD et al. Resuscitation (2018)
  11. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation: October is SCA Awareness Month, Ready to Respond training week and American Red Cross: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
  12. 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC, Executive Summary (2025)
Updated October 7, 2026, by the AED Brand Review editorial team. Prices were checked against live retailer listings on the stated date and may change, so the retailer’s current listing should be treated as the final price. This page provides general information only and is not medical advice. See our methodology for details on how the information is researched and reviewed.

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